It feels like I’ve been working on these latest patterns forever. In truth I think it’s just over a year but there have been a lot of distractions that have required I spend my time on other things and so it feels a very long and drawn out affair. Still, I am pleased to announce that I now have boy and girl bear patterns available.
Part of the complication with this pattern was that I wanted to incorporate different kinds of bear: a brown bear, a black bear with a light muzzle, a Polar bear and a Panda. The tweaks to make each of these are simple enough but laying it out within the pattern without the whole thing becoming too complicated was fiddly and more time-consuming than usual.
The boy pattern includes shorts and a Fair Isle sweater which is worked flat from the neck down to the shoulders and then in the round for the body and arms. Because I know that there are those who really don’t like stranded knitting or working in the round I’ve also included a pattern for a top down striped sweater that is knitted completely flat and then seamed. You can also combine elements from the 2 different sweaters so that you can make the Fair Isle design flat if you prefer and vice versa.
The girl pattern comes with a plaid dress that is worked flat to the waist and then in the round for the skirt part. Again, I’ve included a simpler striped dress for those who don’t like stranded knitting and/or knitting in the round.
Both patterns include the options for making all of the different bear types.
At the same time as working on the bear patterns I’ve been finishing off the shoes supplement pattern that I’ve been fiddling around with for ages too. This has different feet options that you can substitute for the feet in any of the animal patterns. There’s a pair of bunny slipper clad feet and 2 options for the trainers/sneakers: a simplish one and a more fiddly one.
All of the patterns are uploaded to Ravelry where they’re supplied as instant digital downloads or you can purchase via Etsy where you’ll have to wait a short while for me to email the digital files to you.
Now comes the fun part for me as I always look forward to the first finished animals popping up in people’s Ravelry project pages. It’s always such a pleasure to know that the patterns are being enjoyed. I hope that if you give any of them a go you’ll let me know how you got on.
Thanks so much. I’m off now to do some gardening in the spring sunshine, it’ll be nice to be spending more time outside. See you soon x
little cotton rabbits 
Oh my god, these little bears look adorable! And those bunny slippers! I am in love!
Now if only I could knit…
Greetings from Austria
EmmA
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Beautiful! You are an artist! 🙂
I love the dresses of little girls bear!
Ulica 🙂
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They’re absolutely precious & I’m logging into Ravelry to buy them right now…Thank you and warmest wishes from Tennessee 🙂
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Preciosos!!! Comprado
Beautiful, bought !!
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They are all too adorable!!! Thanks so much for all the time and effort that you put in to writing these patterns!!! I’m off to Ravelry, too!
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Julie! Once again you have outdone yourself & my head is spinning with inspiration! The knitting needles are coming out after being tucked away due to too many family demands on my plate. This Sunday is my birthday & Canadian Mothers Day so this will be the gift I give myself….your timing is perfect! Thank you…I am truly inspired!
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Sorry to bother Julie…is there a code to take advantage of the free shoe pattern? How does that work? Thank you… I have all three in my Ravelry cart 😊 Sincerely, Lori from Port Perry
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Ok Julie…my humble apologies…I was so excited I didn’t read your whole post. I should know by now that you think of everything. Just took the lovely shoe pattern out of the cart. Now to order…so excited! Happy Birthday to me! Just what I wished for. I really must post some pictures of Jack with his new Canadian made friends.
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Oh my god! These bears are so sweet. Wonderful. I love bears!
Ursula
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You are a wonder!
These bears are awesome
Thanks for all your hard work
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Stunning Julie, the bears are just beautiful. You are so talented. I shall be buying mine,,!
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Love these bears so much! I am buying the pattern right now. Thank you from North Carolina 🙂
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Wow! Bought already. 🙂 I am currently working on my first bunny. The needle sizes for the shoes look so small to my older eyes, lol! I am enjoying completing the pieces, though. Thank you for your work with all your designs and patterns. They are truly unique and bring joy to many.
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Lordy, Lordy, Lordy! Well worth the wait. Thank you, Julie.
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Oh. My. Gosh! They’re SOOO adorable Julie! You’re a girl after my heart too — I love knitting in the round, so thanks for including that in the patterns. (I was just looking at real baby sweater patterns figuring out how I could do exactly what you’ve done — in the round to the armholes and then flat after that.) And the Bunny Slippers!!! You’re killing us!!!! XOXO
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Julie,
Your little bears are just so cute….so happy I found you have bunny patterns. Now to acquire some wee bears ❤️
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Utterly adorable!! I love the pandas especially!!!
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Oh oh my goodness what real cuties these bears are, how do you do it, move all the little legs and shoes, these are a must!!!!!!!
Thank you Julie for all your hard work I really do appreciate all that goes into these little critters.
Hopefully the weather is starting to pick up and you will have time with Toby and family in garden, enjoy
Hugs
Ellie xx
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Oh my – they are all absolutely adorable! Pattern writing is not an easy job – what a HUGE accomplishment!!!! Congratulations – well done!!!
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Hooray! Hooray! thank you!
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They are just gorgeous in every combination.
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So very, beary lovely.
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I am overjoyed! They are all absolutely gorgeous Julie. Thank you so much for giving us the tools to create these masterpieces. Off I go to Ravelry to buy. It will be so hard to finish my current project! Kathleen
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I love the shoes! It’s about time the boys had some. Looking forward to making a panda too. Thanks for continuing to share the patterns.
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Gorgeous, totally gorgeous!!
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These are adorable. I’m always amazed at the talent in making these patterns to share.
Blessings,
Betsy
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So worth waiting for! Downloaded and already going around in my head! Thank you for sharing you wonderful creativity! (And for the little shoesies!)
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They are so adorable!! Thank you for sharing your creative little critters, I know you have put much time and treasure into making a pattern for others!
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They are in one word gorgeous!!
with warm wishes Manon
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Your animals are so magnificent! As if I wanted to nuchitsya to knit such!
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Your animals are so magnificent! As if I wanted to learn to knit such!
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Julie,these are just precious. I must knit a panda!
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These are so incredibly adorable! I wish I could knit so I could make them all! I just love the idea of a teddy bear with bunny slippers ❤
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They’re absolutely gorgeous, and I always think there’s nothing as endearing as a basket of heads. The details are fantastic, you’ve clearly put so much effort into them. Love those little faces, and the jumper is brilliant. Hope you had a nice time in the garden, I’m just in from mine having a much needed sit down. Wishing you a good weekend. CJ xx
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I was afraid my animals wouldn’t come out quite right and I love yours so much — I’m picky. But I’ve made a Bunny Girl in a pink dress, and she’s PERFECT! You have done a fabulous job with the instructions, thank you! Now, to get the bears …
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I just had to buy these patterns right away! Thank you for creating such amazing little creatures:)
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Ahhhhh wonderful !
(love all these bits and pieces ha, ha, ha !)
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I have waited for your lovely bear pattern for a long time. The way you’ve set up both patterns with so many options must have taken so much time and thought.
The shoes are so neat and clever too, many thanks for sharing these patterns.
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Hi Julie,I love all the new patterns but especially the bunny slippers! You have such a remarkable eye for detail and design, I want to knit them all. I think these are going to be very popular. Thank you for all your hard work perfecting the patterns, your animals are a joy to make and give. Sue x
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So gorgeous and sure makes me smile xo
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Hi Julie,
Your bears are as adorable as all your other creations! I’m so excited for another Julie Williams pattern. Thank you for all your hard work in pattern creation and writing. You are so talented and give such descriptive advice and clear photos that the animals turn out beautifully. I really enjoy knitting from your patterns because of this as well as that your layout is just gorgeous.
Best always,
Jennifer
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I just bought the girl and the boy pattern! Can’t wait to get started on them! They are absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for yet another wonderful design.
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Absolutely brilliant x
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Just amazing Julie…….I’m off to add them to my collection!!!
Have a lovely weekend,
V x
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Julie,what beautiful patterns!! The happiest way to start today is via Ravelry and never were buttons pressed so eagerly to buy them. Thank you for your generosity in adding the shoes, those bunny slippers so adorable! Now, what sort of bear to choose for my new Grandson due to be born in September….. xx
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I might have to cancel my holiday to stay home and make bears!
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oh Julie they’re adorable x
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I get so excited when you bring out a new pattern…….it’s like Christmas every time…..thank you, for what you do gives me SO much pleasure
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You have done tremendous work, and your bears are wonderful,I love them all! Anne
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Dear gods woman is there no end to your talent?! They are adorable, I have totally fallen in love with the polar bears. thank you so much for being so generous and sharing the patterns with us. xx
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These are absolutely brilliant and so worth the wait.
You are so talented and I’m so glad I randomly found your blog and your fantastic patterns.
I was secretly hoping that you would do bears!!
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those bears are the cutest!! absolutely love them, and the shaping on the muzzle is so well done. And the clothes!!! You’ve really outdone yourself, Julie.
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You are so clever, Julie! What a lot of hard work! Just one question: are the animals you make all similar sizes – ie are all the clothes interchangeable? If so, I may mix and match…
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oh my indeed, absolutely beautiful!
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Brilliant, they are all so cute, love them all and their clothes and shoes. So much work! xcx
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Yahoo! I love ya! Can’t wait to get started!
I hope you eventually put all the patterns in a nice book!
I think I’ll start with a Manitoba Polar bear.
Thank you! Thank you!
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I’m so excited to see your new patterns. I have been checking your website daily in hopes they would appear. Thank you so much for continuing to create! Now that I see all of these little bear heads, my next question is: will you be selling these? I sign up for every sale, but haven’t won the lottery yet. I love knitting my own bunnies, cats, elephants, etc., but having one of your originals would just put me over the moon. XO
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I want to give each one a big HUG
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love these! ordered the pattern 🙂
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So beautiful, I will be buying these lovely little patterns xx
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Oh boy these bears are delightful! I finished my girly elephant, Maggie, and have amassed quite a collection of 4 ply yarn for a wardrobe of clothes! I bought yarn for a boy cat and have ordered the bear pattern (thank you thank you thank for the free shoe pattern!!). I think it’s safe to say that I am slightly addicted to toy knitting. And no i’m not giving them to anyone, they’re mine!
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Hi Julie! I found your blog some days ago and I’m completely in love with your photos, work and experience of life. Thank you for sharing your life with us, you’re such an inspiration. Hugs from Portugal. Margarida
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Julie, the work you put into these toys and the patterns is fabulous. I hope the teddy bears are just as successful as all your other beautiful animals and many many more people around the world get to love their own Little Cotton Rabbits toys xx
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Oh Julie you have made my week. I have been looking every few days as you did say you were off to work on a pattern. So it was between the pig, the badger or the Bears and here they are. I just ordered a bear and the shoes so I missed out on a free shoe pattern in my haste but you deserve every penny for the sheer joy you bring to us all. I do love sheep if you are thinking of exploring another animal! Think of all the yarn you could play with to get a sheeps fleece! Like you I love gardening, cooking, knitting and I have an autistic granddaughter so your blog is of great interest to me every month. Many thanks for all your talent, keep knitting. Xx
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Oh these are just gorgeous! Thought that nothing could be more adorable than the rabbits, then the mice and cats, and now these. Still haven’t got around to knitting up the cat or mouse patterns as, like Caroline, I want to ‘master something before taking the first step’! Yours are so perfect, Julie but I know it’s a result of lots of hard work and practice, apart from your obvious talent and dexterity, so really must give it a go and do my own ‘practice’. Thank you so much for giving us the chance to make such delightful knitted animals and will look forward to seeing your latest batch when they’re ready to be sold xx
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These are as beautiful as always. You are just amazing!! I would love toi make one of these, I only hope it’ll turn out half as good as yours!!
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Thank you those are amazing and the new shoes – so cute! Off to buy the pattern now.
Alison
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Just adorable! You amaze me! All the best.
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Oh Julie, you’re killing me! Where am I going to find the time to make all your wonderful little darlings? Less sleep? I don’t know but I just have to have them. Love all you do, Marian
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Ils sont adorables vos petits ours ! vous travaillez à la perfection !! j’adore ce que vous faites.
Bonne journée
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Darling Julie, I never followed a blog in my life…yours, I can’t get enough of!!! I’m going into the archives digesting your vulnerable sweetness! What a gift of magnitude you are!!! Your patterns are exquisite from beginning to end! The photos, clarity of detail and simple to follow….wow and Thank You!
I’m spoiled as other patterns seem so ‘lifeless’ next to yours. May you be filled with joy as you feel each of us recieve your talent as a gift that touches our soul!!!
XO darling woman!
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Your bears are just adorable! I love their little cardigans and dresses! I have knit a number of stuffed animals. These look so darling!
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I loved the bears, I want to buy one (female), but I really prefer the rabbits.
If you don’t have one, I can buy a bear.
Best regards,
Elizabeth Bocanegra
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Just one look, that’s all it took and I had to have every pattern. Now I have to knit them and try and make them look as good as yours. No easy task. But I love them still.
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I have purchased the shoe pattern, thank you. I do keep dreaming that your next release will be a pair of sheep. Alas, perhaps I just shouldn’t be so lazy and just try a pair of my own. Nah, I’m lazy and your work is way more fab !
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They are so lovely – your knitting is so perfectly even. Love the polar bears and pandas in particular (although I feel bad saying that, ‘cos I adore the brown bears too!).
Julie
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I’m having trouble finding the cascade 220 yarn in the grey (tabby) colourway. Can you tell me where I can get it from please. It’s so lovely.
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I am making the panda bear which is adorable. But when the black yarn is pulled through to the front you say “more about that later”, but I can’t find in the pattern where you go back to that? Thank you!
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Hi Joan, It’s top of page 5, end of the first paragraph just at the end of the instructions for stuffing the head, J x
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